1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a putter, i.e., a particular golf club designed for striking a golf ball toward the hole, particularly after the golfer has played the ball to the green, and is a relatively short distance from the hole.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a putter, known as an "inertial" putter, i.e., one whose major portion of the mass of the head thereof is distributed at the point and the heel, i.e., the ends of the elongated hitting face of the putter. By virtue of such a mass distribution, for a given total mass, the moment of inertia of the putter is substantially increased, which substantially reduces the risk of rotation and of improper inclination of the head during the striking of the ball.
2. Description of Background and Other Information
Known putters of the type described are generally formed either as a single piece, made of molded or forged steel mounted at the end of a shaft or, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,781,971, for example, as two metallic masses which are enclosed or molded into a shell made of synthetic material which receives, and has affixed thereto, a metallic hitting surface, the shell being mounted at the end of the shaft of the golf club.
These known putter heads have a certain number of disadvantages. For example, putter heads formed as a single mass of steel, whether molded or forged, do not allow for anything but a relatively limited variation in shape. Generally, putter heads which have a synthetic shell are more complex to produce, particularly by virtue of the fact that the surface must be affixed to the shell with precision to ensure that the surface is both precisely and durably mounted.